CBT for Sports Performance Anxiety
When we hear CBT, we often think about managing and improving anxiety or depression. However, CBT can be applied to many other things in life. One area that I enjoy utilizing CBT skills with clients is in their sports performance. You don’t have to be an Olympian to benefit from strategies to get your head in the game whether it is a golf game with friends, a rec league kickball game, or competing more seriously.
Mindfulness in activity
CBT and related skills (such as mindfulness) have been found to enhance athletic performance and reduce performance anxiety. CBT skills can also be helpful when returning to training and competing after an injury, when it is common to experience anxiety. One important aspect of performance to be aware of and use skills for is finding the right intensity or physiological arousal level for you. Your intensity level can affect your performance both in practice and competition. Intensity levels can range from low to high. Your “sweet spot” of energy needed to perform well might be different from someone else’s. It is also likely to be different for each sport you play and the setting (such as practice versus competition). You may have difficulty performing your best if your intensity level is too low or too high for your own best performance. You can experiment with different intensity levels to see what level of energy works best for you in practice or competition.
CBT-based tips for increasing your intensity:
· Increase breathing rate by breathing several quick short breaths
· Fake it ‘til you make it—Act like you’re excited by pumping your fists, shouting or even grunting
· Use your self-talk cue words or phrases, such as “Fast” or “I got this!”
· Listen to some energetic music before or during practice
· Imagine yourself as something energizing like a cheetah running full speed, or an arrow flying through the air
CBT-based tips for decreasing your intensity:
· Practice controlling your breathing with slow deep breaths trying to breathe into your belly and breathing out longer than your inhale
· Use your self-talk cue words or phrases such as “Relax,” “Take a second” or “Focus on breathing”
· Practicing meditation before practice or competition
· Use a pre performance routine and make a plan of action for your performance
· Listen to calming or soothing music before competition
· Imagine a calm/relaxing place, such as a beach
Contact CBT Denver
For more tools to find your sweet spot and enhance your performance, contact me at CBTDenver.